Game of Cards
by xteamlibertea
Summary: Come enter a world where your fate is decided by the luck of the draw. Will you join King Alfred, whose eyes are set on a Queen from a far-away Kingdom, King Francis, who wants that Queen for his own pleasure, King Ivan, who wants power beyond belief, King Ludwig, who has secrets to be uncovered, or Gilbert the Joker who aims to take back what's rightfully his? Choose wisely.
1. Hearts

**Hearts**

It was an unusual night. The air was crisper than usual. Granted, there was almost always a breeze passing over the Hearts Kingdom, but perhaps there was a cold front coming through from the south. It was no matter to Gilbert though, for the stars lit up the sky without a single cloud in sight. Gilbert enjoyed these nights; some of his best ideas sprouted from nights like these. He stared down at his feet, stumbling over the cobblestone path. They seemed to have led him to the gardens in his slightly drunken state.

The white-haired king had an appointment to attend to, or rather, he _was_ attending—a late night meeting with his small council. And despite the numerous glasses of wine, Gilbert could not find the meeting the least bit entertaining. He found it best to excuse himself. As the King of Hearts he was allowed to do that after all.

"Deficits… shortages… lack of funds… yes yes, I get it," Gilbert muttered under his alcohol-plagued breath. Was it not the small council's job to figure all these things out…? And not to bother the King with it?

"But I could care less about all that," Gilbert mumbled, kicking some pebbles across the path, "I wanted to discuss a tournament, or perhaps a party in celebration of my fifth year in power in the Kingdom of Hearts, but they would hear none of that. Something about no budget. Since when was there no budget? There's always a budget for Gilbert the White!"

Gilbert sighed, glancing down at his rippling reflection in the basin of a fountain, a young man with striking features staring back at him. Gilbert was not called "Gilbert the White" for his innocence or purity or performance in combat or whatever other symbolic drabble one could come up with. He donned the name due to one of his most prominent physical features: his snow-white hair. But that was not the only unusual thing about his appearance. The King continued to look into his reflection, and a pair of red eyes shined back at him. His hair only further accented his rare eye color. It was his pair of eyes that caused his citizens to believe in him and his future; this pair of eyes matched the pure crimson of their Kingdom's colors. Gilbert imagined those ruby red banners flying throughout the streets in honor of a tournament or a party hosted by the King himself, the whole city doused in red and black.

It was no matter though. Even if he were to throw a party or a tournament, who would come anyways? The Spades and Clubs had now just entered their second year of their icy war; it was doubtful that they would drop their swords and shields to be on Gilbert's guest list. So that left the Diamonds, the Kingdom Gilbert felt the closest to. He had fond memories of King Francis and his Ace of Diamonds Antonio. But since he already visited them often, drinking and carrying on into wee hours of the morning, how would a party with just them in attendance be any different?

Despite his struggles with entertainment and funding, Gilbert did have one thing to look forward to. He continued his not-so-straight march down the cobblestone path, and for the first time that evening, a smile crept onto his face as he spotted several bushes of pink carnations, all finely trimmed. This was the collection that he had put in specifically for his beloved.

"Ah, Elizaveta, for the first time in my existence I am thankful you are not here. You would've dragged me back into that meeting. Or even worse, flipped me over your shoulder and plopped me back into my chair yourself."

His Princess was a beautiful one, and soon to be the reigning Queen of Hearts, ruling alongside of him. Their wedding would be in a few months time, three to be exact, although the white-haired King had a tendency to forget the date since it had been changed so often. He kept delaying the joyful occasion in hopes the Ice War will come to a close, wanting all of the Four Kingdoms to attend. But the Spades and Clubs' fighting waged on, and an armistice was unlikely to occur.

"A truce is not in King Ivan's vocabulary. He'll keep fighting until he gets what he wants. But the Spades put up a good fight, so that just might be forever."

Gilbert cannot keep putting the wedding off though, otherwise that will make him no better than his good friend, Francis, who has been engaged for well over three years now. The King of Diamonds will turn that young girl into an old maid no doubt.

The wine in his belly delayed his journey, but he finally arrived at one of his favorite spots in all of the castle grounds. Gilbert walked up the tiny, white steps of the gazebo, shuffling over to the other side. He leaned against the painted bannister, exhaling slowly as he looked down at his Kingdom below. The gazebo overlooked his entire capital. Several lights were still on, smoke bellowed out of several chimneys, and if one looked real close they could see—

Gilbert's gaze quickly adverted elsewhere as he heard a rustling from a nearby bush, the origin of which he could not locate.

"Hmm…must be a squirrel…" Gilbert muttered to himself, turning back to gaze out onto his Kingdom below. He was distracted once more, however, when he heard yet another bush rustle, only this time it was closer.

The King paused before taking a few steps towards the gazebo entrance, peering out into the dimly lit gardens ahead of him. His vision was fogged by the wine, but his voice rang clear.

"Who's there?"

Usually Gilbert found practical jokes funny, but there was no one within the castle walls who would dare even try to pull one on him. Both Francis and Antonio were miles away within the Diamonds Kingdom, and his brother, Ludwig, and Elizaveta were not the types to clown around.

Just then a small ding resonated off of the white wood of the gazebo, causing Gilbert to jump in his boots. He brought his rich, crimson cloak around him more, the cloak of the King fastened tightly to his shoulders. It was a pebble or a small rock surely.

"Alright, yes, very funny. You win. Can the mysterious jester reveal himself now?"

Gilbert walked down the steps of the gazebo, his leather boots once again stepping on the cobblestone path. He held his breath; it was dead silent. Something wasn't right. His hand, concealed under his crimson cloak, slowly traveled to the grip of his sword, his hand gently wrapping around it.

"As King I command you to reveal yourself this inst—"

A very loud snap of a branch muted the rest of his sentence, far too loud for a small animal to create. Gilbert's expression turned from amusement to annoyance as he turned on his heel, wanting to head back to his gazebo.  
"I've just about had enough of your fun and ga— MMPHHH!"

As Gilbert turned to face the gazebo, his red eyes could not see it anymore. Instead they were cloaked by a black mass. By the time his alcohol-clouded head could process what was happening, it was too late. He felt the black bag tighten over his head, his hot breath bouncing back against him as his senses were taken away from him. Gilbert thrashed his limbs about as best he could, but a force prevented him from doing so. It had to be more than one man. Maybe two? Three? Four?

Gilbert continued to let muffled screams pour from his mouth, but they quickly died down as he felt something cool and metallic press against the flesh of his neck. This was not a joke anymore, and far from it. An unknown force pushed him along, his feet leading blindly as he was manhandled down a path he could not make out. Surely his guards would see his assailants, or perhaps a man of his small council. All would be well so long as Gilbert remained calm and collected.

They walked for what seemed like hours until Gilbert was shoved into what felt like a small room. He realized soon after that it was not a room, however, when it started to move. They were in a carriage. Gilbert cursed at himself inwardly; how foolish was he to drink himself silly! But how did they escape the castle unnoticed? Were there no guards at any of the gates?

The Heart King's anxiety grew with every creak and bump of the carriage, his heartbeat quickening with every second that went by. He strained his ears, trying his best to recognize his surroundings, or maybe even hear the voices of his abductors, but it was to no avail. Several minutes later, his body lurched forward as he heard and felt the carriage come to a stop, and a pair of unknown hands yanked him from out of the compartment. He tripped over his feet as he was led down a path. Gilbert's eyebrows furrowed, the path was not made of stone or dirt or gravel even. The steps of his feet echoed of the sound of wood, something that perplexed Gilbert all the more. Where was he? Finally, the black cloth was ripped from his head, his vision blurry as he strained his body to quickly sober up. As his ruby red eyes readjusted, his eyes widened in horror as the dim lamps above them silhouetted his assailants. They were wearing cloaks with his sigil—his own guards. His eyes flew from one point to another, realizing quickly they were at the port of his capital, along one of the very edges of a dock. A vast ship loomed behind him, which seemed to be his only route of escape.

"What….What is the meaning of this?! Do you know what punishment befalls onto you for laying a hand on your King?! Or did you perhaps grab the wrong man by mistake?! How foolish, I doubt no one could be mistaken for me. Now I demand to be taken back at once and I may just show you mercy."

Gilbert's attention was caught by the sound of footsteps coming down the dock, and as the tall, large figure came into view, a wave of relief coursed through his veins. He sighed greatly, "Oh, brother! How thankful I am to see you! These idiots grabbed me by mistake. Must've thought I was trespassing. Serves me right for removing my crown after dinner," Gilbert chuckled, trying to rid himself of the anxiety.

Prince Ludwig looked down at his elder brother with little expression, something that was common for the younger sibling. The blond pursed his lips, his voice low and domineering, "There was no mistake, my brother."

"What do you mean there was no mistake? Ludwig, I hardly find this funny!" Gilbert's eyebrows furrowed, his voice growing louder in his search for understanding. Ludwig averted his eyes, and at a quick tilt of his head, the guards around him grabbed Gilbert once more.

"Hey! Unhand me this instant! Ludwig! Tell them to let their King go!"

The very edges of the blond Prince's mouth curled up into a smile, a rare and rather eerie sight to see upon the younger brother's face, "What King? I see no crown."

Gilbert stopped his thrashing as the true meaning of his brother's words slowly started to sink in. Never would he have thought this would happen—a coupe d'état—and from his own brother at that. A man whom he thought he could trust with his life, a man who had the same blood running through his veins.

Gilbert spoke quietly yet his voice showed no fear, his pride overtaking him, "If you mean to kill me I will let you know that I will not go down without a fight."

Ludwig chuckled darkly, "No, dear brother. There will be no fight." He took a few steps closer toward the silver-haired man. The Prince peered down at him; his blue eyes icy and cold, "I want you to get on a ship. I want you to get on a ship and sail to the farthest continent away from our own. I want you to get on a ship and never set foot in this Kingdom that you let crumble to pieces again. Is that understood?"

Gilbert tried to stifle his laugh, yet the all-too-recognizable guffaw echoed off the docks, but was quickly muted by the crashing waves, "And you think that will get rid of me? I have supporters in my land! The small council even! No one will fall for my disappearance, and especially not Elizaveta."

"Hmm, yes, I thought of that, which is why if you so take even another step on this land, or any of the Four Kingdoms, your precious Elizaveta will have a much worse fate than you, my brother."

Gilbert felt a fire kindle within his stomach, and the wine was not the cause of it. He had no time to think. The choice in the moment was clear, and it was a choice more cruel than death.

"You will regret this one day, brother. I swear upon the Four Kingdoms, this will not be the last you ever see of me."

Ludwig motioned for the guards to let Gilbert go. He took a step closer to him, causing Gilbert to move backwards. His intimidating figure loomed over Gilbert, stumbling up the ramp to a vast ship, its destination unknown.

"I'm sure, Gilbert. Just like all of the other empty promises you have made for this Kingdom time and time again. And how dishonorable of you to just up and leave your crown. It'll wound everyone's hearts, I am sure."

The eldest brother gritted his teeth. He would much rather be murdered than be labeled as a deserter. Gilbert's red eyes locked onto Ludwig's as he felt his brother's hands grab a hold of the front of his clothing. He heard a tiny 'click,' and the ruby encrusted, heart-shaped clasp of his cloak was unfastened. Ludwig ripped it from his shoulders, holding it up in front of his brother for him to see. That cool, frigid breeze that haunted Gilbert in the palace gardens ripped through the air once more, aiding Ludwig with one final shove on his brother's chest, pushing him down onto his back and into the ship.

"Such a shame. You always looked so good in red ."

**A/N: Greetings everyone! We hope you enjoyed Chapter 1! We could not fit all of the ships in the summary, but this story will have elements of USUK, FrUk, RusAme, GerIta, PruHun, and AuHun. So a little something for every Hetalia fan out there. ;) Stay tuned for Chapter 2; We hope to publish it very soon!  
**


	2. Spades

**Spades**

"In terms of production, the Kingdom currently has three thousand tons of coal and two hundred and fifty thousand stocks of lumber in the capital's possession alone. This number, however, has decreased in comparison to last year. Our main trades, seafood and pearls, are up exponentially. Fishermen are estimating catches of a hundred oysters a day, and about forty percent result in pearls…"

The young King drummed his fingers idly as he attended to the ramblings of one of his trade specialists. It was his duty to listen to the quarterly numbers of the Kingdom's inventory, but naturally, Alfred found it to be boring. He did his best to remain focused, but often found his eyes glossing over, his mind taking him to a place far away from his throne room. The drumming of his fingers against the gold armrests of his large throne increased in pace, and Alfred quickly snapped out of his reverie as a hand firmly pressed down onto his, causing the incessant tapping to cease. His blue eyes glanced to the left where the Queen Mother sat upon her throne, giving him an all-too-knowing stare, her hand still placed atop of his.

"…In addition, we have a deficit in livestock but a surplus of crops, particularly wheat and corn. These surpluses, in my opinion, would make a great bargaining chip to increase our supplies of coal and livestock with the Hearts and Diamonds Kingdoms. But the question is, to what percentage do we offer up for trade? What do you think, Your Grace?"

Alfred blinked his sapphire blue eyes in response. A question was being asked of him, which was incredibly unfortunate because he tuned out at least a quarter of the poor man's speech. The young King sighed and then proceeded to do what he usually does in a situation such as this. Alfred turned his head to his right, where a much older man was standing off to his side, and without even exchanging a single word was able to communicate his request.

Yao, who had worked for the monarchy for a very long time—in fact, sometimes he believed it might be too long, yet stayed because of his honor and duty to his country—noticed the young King's look immediately. In fact, the Royal Advisor had expected it. King Alfred did not like meetings such as this and nearly fell asleep when numbers and matters of trade were suggested. It was nearly a routine for the King of Spades to glance over to him whenever there was such a question asked.

He stepped forward and cleared his throat to signal the beginning of his speech. "It is best to present the wheat and corn as valuable to the other nations. It is food, after all, and with changing seasons, they will need much food for their people. In my opinion, My King, it is best to store twenty percent, and offer twenty to thirty percent divided among the two kingdoms. Offer equal amount to both if they can both offer the same benefit. But if negotiations with one are more fruitful, like tree bearing more fruit, give more attention to that tree." The elder Jack of Spades bowed respectfully to his King. He knew he would not have the final say, but he also knew how the nearly boy-king would respect his council.

Alfred's sapphire eyes watched his Royal Advisor intently, his wise words—usually almost always right much to Alfred's dismay—ringing through his ears. He tapped an index finger to his chin as he processed Yao's advice, and despite several different percentages being thrown about, he actually understood it.

The young King held up a hand, elbow still resting on the arm of his chair, showing that he was about to speak. "I believe it is in our best interest to follow the suggestion of Lord Wang. In fact, I could not have said it better myself. Please do put the decision in effect immediately. I look forward to hearing of our progress next quarter, and if anything groundbreaking happens, please do bring it to my or my small council's attention. Thank you, my lord."

Alfred gave the trade specialist a curt nod, to which a bow was returned. The young King of Spades then rose from his seat, his hand still captured by his mother. "And now, if I'm not mistaken, I do believe it is time for lunch!" He exchanged glances with the woman and the oriental man on either side of him as a handsome grin spread across his face. "Mother, Yao, I trust you will join me? You know how much I despise dining alone."

Yao nearly wanted to smack his palm to his forehead at the obvious grin and excitement from the King over the prospect of food. Of which, Yao knew, that the King just announced to the court before him. Those in attendance rose as the King stood, giving their respect. At the sound of his name, Yao turned to King Alfred with his usual, polite, and neutral smile. "Yes, of course, My King. I will dine with you, as I do every time you ask. Also, My King, if I may, you gave a fine answer to the trade specialist." Yao wanted to subtly test the King for a moment; he wanted to know whether Alfred would take credit for his answer, or give Yao the credit of the plan.

Alfred could not help but smile even wider at Yao complimenting him on his work. It made him feel…worthy, for a lack of a better word. His Royal Advisor had also served his father before him throughout the previous king's entire reign, and because of this, Alfred had quite a big set of shoes to fill. "Ah yes, thank you, Yao. But it is you who fed me the answer," Alfred held up both of his arms, presenting himself in a powerful stance as his mother rose to her feet, using the King's hand for support. "And now I shall return the favor by feeding you myself." The young King chuckled, now turning back to the Queen Mother, who had already wrapped her hand around Alfred's strong arm, ready to be escorted. "Will you be joining me, Mother?"

"Of course I will, my son," Queen Aiyana looked up at the man who, to her, would always be her baby boy, despite the fact he keeps on growing on a daily basis. "But please, try not to eat your fill. We do have a meeting with an ambassador in an hour's time." Aiyana chuckled, shooting her son a sly smile as the young man began to lead her from the courtroom with Yao in tow. "And I can't have your belly full of food cause you to fall asleep on the poor man."

Alfred let out a small groan, not wanting the guards who were holding the doors open for them to hear him. "An ambassador? From where, exactly?"

"Alfred! Do the formal duties of a King cause you to forget so easily? The ambassador from Albion, remember? I thought it would be wise for you to start a friendship with a nation outside of the Four Kingdoms—establish trade, make allies, take interest in their customs…" The Queen Mother looked out beyond them, towards an open window at the end of the hallway, "…and then maybe, someday, they will be there when we need them most ."

Alfred could not help but flinch as his mother said his name so harshly. He gazed down the familiar hallway, made of marble and gold, and carpeted in the most royal shades of blue. She was right. He had been King for a year now, not the Crown Prince, and he needed to start taking things more seriously. "Ah yes, now I remember. Albion, the land far across the sea? My, the ambassador must have made a long journey. If that's the case, I promise I won't look like it's too much of a bore." He glanced behind him, shooting Yao an impish grin, a look he's given the older man far too many times before. "At least, not on the outside."

As always, Yao followed a few paces behind the royal pair. He was nearly always close by, just a few steps behind to be ready for any questions or requests of him. He couldn't help but allow himself a small smile as the Queen Mother gently teased her son. He knew that Alfred was still very young for a king, and that being thrown into his position would force him to mature into adulthood faster than his mother wished he would have to. But what was done had to be done. Alfred was the King, after all. But that obviously didn't stop the King from sending such devilish glances towards the advisor. Yao merely shook his head and sighed softly, showing his slight, yet affectionate, impatience with Alfred's consistent fall into boredom at Kingly duties. Yao stepped forward as he began to find a pause in their conversation. He mainly addressed the Queen Mother, yet kept it open for the both of them to respond. "If I may, Your Majesty, shall I go ahead to ensure that all preparations for lunch are ready for you? I would not want the King to wait for his lunch too long. He might get cranky if that were to happen." Yao smirked just barely, his emotions mainly shown through his eyes.

The young King's eyebrows furrowed, opening his mouth wide to interject, "I will not get cr-!"

His mother spoke over him, an ability she only seemed to possess, "Yes, Yao, that would be wonderful. Thank you very much. We will catch up to you soon."

Upon receiving the Queen Mother's blessing, he bowed so his body created a ninety degree angle, giving her the utmost respect. Then he straightened and turned to briskly walk ahead of them, allowing the royals to take their time with their conversation and walk to the dining hall.

Alfred huffed silently as he watched the Jack of Spades depart, trying not to become too red in the face from embarrassment. His voice was so loud and powerful, a quality he's been countlessly praised for, yet somehow his mother was always able to act as its conductor. He whispered to her, adverting his eyes to a nearby painting on the wall. "Why must you always do that?"

A small smile crept onto Aiyana's face. "It a Queen's job to make sure her King doesn't make a fool of himself."

The young King mumbled quietly, yet audible enough for Aiyana to hear, "Yes, Mother."

Yao took a detour to arrive at the kitchens on time. The kitchen was busy, but not nearly as much as it would be for supper. Everyone in there was busy working to prepare lunch for the castle, the Queen Mother and King especially. Pots boiled, pans sizzled, and sous chefs kept busy with chopping up vegetables and other things to put in various dishes. The kitchen was euphony of rhythms; one that made Yao smile, mainly because it meant that things were underway. The Royal Advisor made his way over to the head chef and nodded his greetings to him. "His Majesty, the King, and the Queen Mother are making their way to the dining hall for their midday meal. Will it be ready soon?"

A rather large man turned to face Yao in response. The Royal Chef, rather hearty in size, had certainly had his fair share of fine cuisine over the years. The man nodded eagerly. "Oh yes, of course. We have to just plate what has been prepared. There is the soup and salad course, with both a small bowl of each coming out to the royals, with the follow up of the main course. I can send out a servant to set a bowl of fresh bread out for them, if you like?"

The Jack nodded in approval. "See that you do. I will stay behind here until everything is plated. I will come out to the dining room when the first course is to be served. I have been asked to dine with them, so prepare for three place settings."

Alfred quickly fixed his mood as they made their way down the hallway, a smile coming onto his face once more as they entered into the dining hall. It was such a lavish area, with a table fit for thirty, but in reality during his reign only a party no larger than five or six had ever paid it a visit, with the obvious exception of his coronation. The King lifted his nose into the air, getting a whiff of wonderful and savory aromas, soon to taste.

Alfred led his mother to the end of the table, the place he now sat ever since his ascension to the throne. He pulled out a chair for her, waving off a frantic servant who was supposed to do the duty for them. Alfred liked to do things independently, or as much as he could get away with without being reprimanded by Yao or his mother.

The Queen Mother sat in her seat, nodding over to her son in gratitude. "Thank you, my King. Did you invite your brother to dine with us?"

Alfred sighed, taking his own seat at the head. "Of course not. You know Matthew. He likes his time to himself. After extending the invitation so many times one can take the hint."

"Well I would like you to continue. In fact, he should be present for most matters, and not just out of formality. He needs to understand how to run a Kingdom just as much as you do, because God forbid if anything happened to you—"

The King cut off his mother with a rather cocky, loud laugh, a trademark of his, removing his glasses to clean them as he spoke. "Mother, nothing is going to happen to me. I am King Alfred, remember? Stronger than ten men! I certainly proved that in the war, so much they wanted to attach a title to my crown."

Alfred remembered the distinct sound of massive crowds cheering upon his return to the Kingdom after the Ice War. His performance in combat earned many different possible titles from the people and his small council alike—The Heroic King, The Strong King, Alfred the Brave, Alfred the Valiant—the list went on and on. Alfred turned them all down though, at least formally. The people could call him what they wanted, but for now he simply wanted to be known as Alfred, first of his name, King of Spades.

A small smile graced the Queen's lips, "I know, my brave son, but I cannot help to be cautious. Your physical strength certainly surpasses him, but I never thought your father—"

"Enough! I will not have this conversation yet again. It will only spoil my appetite, and I always look forward to a meal."

Aiyana opened her mouth to reply, but immediately shut it as she noticed a servant entering the room. The young man brought bread to the King and Queen Mother's table just after they were seated, making sure to present it with a bow. Soon after, the man left to rejoin the other servants in the kitchen. Just about everything had been placed and prepared for the first course.

Yao was walking around to make sure that the first, combined course would go as planned. He checked everything over, and then nodded to the Royal Chef. "Yes, this looks very good, aru. Everything is in place. Let us go and serve the first course. I will be seated with them, but I will give the signal when the second course should be served."

He nodded to them and opened the doors to allow the servants through. The waiters moved forward, all carrying trays. They stood behind the respective chairs until Yao came forward and nodded. The Royal Advisor then began to describe the dishes as they were served. "My King and Queen, with your permission, today for your first course, we have a small, simple salad of greens paired with a small bowl of fish stew. The fish used were snapper and some redfish fillet, with some vegetables and broth, aru."

The bowl and plate containing the stew and salad, respectively, were of smaller portions, yet the royalty would know that this was merely a sampler of what their kingdom had to offer, the chefs wanting to showcase their variety with fish and other ingredients. Yao dismissed the servants and waited for one of the royals to invite him to sit down.

King Alfred tried to hide his frown as he was presented with salad. Every family has that one child who the parents have to nag to eat their vegetables; Alfred was that child . He perked up a little when he smelled the stew. Fish was always a favorite of his, any kind of fish. Seafood was his Kingdom's specialty since his land made a peninsula, and Alfred loved every bit of it. "Looks excellent, Yao. Would you mind sitting with us?"

Yao nodded to Alfred, "Thank you, Your Majesty." The advisor pulled out his own chair and sat down, scooting silently in.

The Queen laid her napkin daintily in her lap. "Now like I said, Alfred, don't eat too much. I don't want you dozing off during the meeting."

Yao smiled softly at Aiyana's motherly scolding to her child. "Yes, Your Majesty, you must be alert for this meeting. I know that you want the Spades Kingdom to make a good impression on our friends across the seas, aru. As the King, it is your duty and privilege to meet so many exciting people from across the sea, yes?" As usual, Yao's words not only perform multiple duties in chastising the young King for his usual bouts of boredom or laziness directed at things that don't interest him, but also encourage him and his choices. It was a tough juggling act, but no one performed it better than the Jack of Spades himself.

The King stabbed at his salad with one of the many forks laid in front of him, not really caring if it's the proper one or not. He stuffed the pieces of lettuce into his mouth, chewing quickly. "Good impression…hmm…yeah, you're right!" Alfred stood suddenly, as if making a proclamation to a whole party sitting at the thirty-person table. "I want this Albion ambassador to be impressed by all the Spades Kingdom has to offer! And he shall know why it is the best out of all the Four Kingdoms!" He turned to his mother with a determined look, a look that once Alfred gets, he will not stop at anything until he gets what he wants. "I will succeed, mother. This I promise you."

Yao did notice that Alfred wasn't using the proper fork, but knew that this was not the moment to chastise him for improper utensil usage. He nearly jumped in surprise as the King stood up, his excitement and determination manifesting into his physical response.

Suddenly, a guard appeared from one of the many entrances of the dining hall. He looked timid to approach, but tried to speak and loudly and clearly as possible. "Your Majesty, I have received word that the ambassador from Albion's ship reached port early. He has arrived to the castle and has been shown to his room already."

Alfred paused for a moment before he spoke, staring down at his hands upon the table before glancing up to address the guard. "Do you mean to tell me that we scheduled his meeting for the day his ship was to arrive?" The King groaned as a palm clutched his forehead. The man must be exhausted and Alfred did not want to appear to be a rude host. "Please invite him to join us for lunch. He surely has to be hungry. He can make it in time for the main course. Thank you, sir." The guard bowed politely, exiting quickly as Alfred took his seat again, mumbling, "Who's bright idea was it to schedule the meeting immediately once he reached land?"

The Queen spoke softly after taking a small bite of her stew. "His, my son. Apparently the people of Albion like to handle all business matters as efficiently and promptly as possible."

Yao heard the entire exchange, his body growing tense at the change of schedule. The way that some of these people seemed to think, changing schedules and whatnot; he thought it rather distasteful. But, as the Royal Advisor and Jack, it was his duty to ensure that it went smoothly, no matter what sort of inconveniences were thrown in his way. He ate a few bites of his stew while the others spoke. As soon as the Queen had finished speaking, he dabbed his mouth with his napkin. "If you will excuse me for just a moment, Your Majesties, I wish to inform the Royal Chef of our addition to our lunch party. I will be but a moment."

Alfred turned to his advisor, speaking quietly, "Of course, Yao. Thank you for seeing to it."

Yao bowed as soon as Alfred thanked him, then turned to hurry towards the kitchen. He opened the door cautiously, not wanting to accidentally hit some poor servant on his way out and cause a mess. He quickly located the head chef and notified him of the change. "Excuse me, sir, but there has been an addition to the lunch party. The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Albion will be joining us for lunch. If you could bring out another additional serving of the lunch... and if there is a smaller bowl of the fish stew and salad, bring that out as well to accompany his meal, aru. The King would like to see that he is well taken care of, and shown the delicacies of our kingdom. He would like to sample the other dishes that we have, I am sure. Thank you."

Meanwhile, back in the dining hall, the young King continued to quickly devour his stew, occasionally taking a bite of the salad. Several minutes passed with him and his mother eating in silence before the guard reappeared from the same entrance once more. The man in uniform stepped to the side of the door, holding it open as he cleared his throat to speak. "Your Majesty, the King and Queen, may I present to you Lord Joseph Elwyn, Royal Ambassador of the Kingdom of Albion."

Alfred immediately rose from his seat as the foreign man entered the vast dining hall, walking over to him to extend his hand for a greeting. "Pleased to finally make your acquaintance, Lord Elwyn. I am Alfred, first of my name, ruler of the Kingdom of Spades. Please, come dine with us. Surely you must be hungry." It was customary that a member of the small council, frequently Yao, would introduce the King. But as with pulling out his own chair at a dining table, Alfred was always adamant on doing things himself.

The man who walked in was very decidedly proper, and showed signs of once being quite handsome in his younger days. Being around the age of forty, perhaps late thirties at the youngest, he was still good-looking. His way of walking showed how much posture meant to the people of Albion. He walked over to the King, already being familiar with the monarch from viewing pictures of him, and bowed before accepting the younger man's hand for the handshake. He smiled at Alfred, looking polite but not unapproachable. "Yes, Your Majesty, the pleasure is all mine to finally meet you in person. As your guard so eloquently announced, I am Lord Joseph Elwyn of Albion. My King and his family send their regards and another statement of congratulations to you, seeing as it has been a year that you have been the reigning monarch. From what I have seen of your country thus far, I can tell you have done an excellent job. And I thank you for your invitation to dine with you, Your Grace. I am quite hungry from my journey."

The young King could not help but smile from all the compliments as he walked a few paces back to the table. "Why thank you, Lord Elwyn. I shall send your King my personal thanks as well. But there is much more I have to show you on your visit. We take pride in the view of the Kingdom from the sea, since the sea is our biggest asset after all."

As Joseph walked over to the table with Alfred, his eyes caught that of the Queen. He smiled to her and bowed. "And this is Queen Aiyana, I presume...?"

Aiyana gracefully rose from her seat with the help of her son, extending her hand towards Joseph, palm side down. Alfred interjected quickly, "Yes, this is Aiyana, Queen Mother to the Kingdom, wife to my late father, King Duncan the Great."

The Queen spoke softly as a smile graced her face, warm eyes looking up to the foreign man. "A pleasure to meet you, Lord Elwyn. Please do sit by me for our luncheon. The Royal Advisor will be returning to the table shortly."

Upon the Queen offering her hand to him, Lord Elwyn took a gentle hold of her fingers, cupping his own under hers for support, and pressed a small kiss to the top of her hand. He straightened formally afterwards, giving her a smile as well. "Of course, I give you my thanks, Queen Aiyana. It would be my honor to sit beside you." He pulled out his chair and took a seat next to her just as Yao returned back from the kitchens, approaching the table with great stride.

The Jack of Spades, knowing that he must introduce himself, immediately went to the Queen and the ambassador's side of the table. The two men made eye contact and just as the Ambassador was about to stick out his hand to shake, Yao stopped in his tracks and gave the man a formal bow. "Hello, Ambassador. My name is Yao Wang, Royal Advisor to the King and Jack of the Spades Kingdom. It is my honor to meet you, and thank you for accepting the invitation."

The poor ambassador, unaccustomed to this sort of very formal, nearly 90 degree-angle bowing, was stuck for a moment with eyes wide and his hand partially out towards the foreign-appearing man. He quickly dropped his hand and, having already sat down himself, gave a seated combination between a bow and a long nod to the man. "Y-Yes, of course, sir. The pleasure is mine, I assure you." As all men who are practiced in politics can do, the man recovered easily and smiled at Yao. Yao went back to his seat, opposite that of the Queen and the man from Albion.

Alfred sat in his chair very relaxed for a King, certainly quite the opposite of his Albion guest. "I trust your journey was a pleasant one, my Lord? I do hope the waters weren't cruel to you." Alfred took a few more spoonfuls of his stew, finishing it off completely. "And my apologies, we weren't expecting your arrival until later, but I do believe Yao has arranged for you to receive a portion of the soup and salad that we have for today."

Yao nodded in agreement to what the King had just expressed to the ambassador, following up on it. "Yes, I have just spoken to the Royal Chef about your addition to the King's lunch party, aru. The soup is a fish stew, a specialty here, paired with a salad. But if you would like something to eat before they serve it, there is some bread there. Go ahead, eat, eat!" Yao encouraged him with a smile.

Lord Elwyn smiled back at the Advisor with a small chuckle. "All right, I'm afraid I'm obliged to try at least one. Thank you, Lord Wang..." Lord Elwyn tried out the title along with what he assumed was the man's surname, hoping that he was not raising or lowering the man's position by applying such a title. After picking up a piece of the bread and placing it on a small plate in front of him, and starting to place some butter onto it with a knife, he began to finish answering the King. "And yes, Your Majesty, my journey was a long one, but it was rather pleasant. We had a few days of rain off the coast of Albion, but nothing that the fine crews of my kingdom couldn't handle. No large waves plagued us, thank the Kings before us. And I do apologize for my early arrival. I do hope that it caused no imposition to you, Your Majesty. Or to you either, Queen Aiyana." His eyes darted from one monarch to the next, trying to gauge a reaction from the both.

Alfred put on a handsome, winning smile, one that was known to make all young ladies across the Four Kingdoms swoon. "Of course not! Not a problem at all. In fact, we could discuss matters over our food if you'd like. That way you have the rest of the day to relax and view the palace. I would very much like to know of Albion, for it is a shame I have not visited yet. And I am sure you'd like to hear of what all the Spades Kingdom has to offer."

Lord Elwyn replied with a nod, "Yes, I would like very much to hear all about your Kingdom and the progresses you have made within the last year, Your Grace."

The four of them dove into a conversation, mainly driven by Lord Elwyn and King Alfred for a good while, about a variety of topics. Lord Elwyn spoke of some cultural differences as well as a brief overview of the alliances that Albion had with other nations. Of course, Lord Elwyn proclaimed, that their relations with the Spades Kingdom were stronger than any other, thus far. Alfred was rather impressed with himself, or in actuality, he hoped to impress both his mother and Yao. He gave Lord Elwyn his undivided attention, actively participating in the conversation. Every time he would say something remarkably knowledgeable he would glance to Yao, just to see if he got any reaction from the older man . He enjoyed listening to the stories of Albion, it being a country of mystery and intrigue to him. They talked of military, advances in technology, and other matters. But soon the conversation took a turn towards subjects that were not as much of an interest to the King of Spades. Talk of imports, exports, trade, numbers, figures and percentages started to dominate the conversation.

As time went on, the King started to lose his drive. "Well that all sounds very good, Lord Elwyn, really." The young King looked around, hoping to catch a servant out of the corner of his eye. "I do hope the next course will arrive soon. I'm afraid I'll need a new boost of energy."

The Queen Mother lightly swatted at Alfred's hand, her eyebrows furrowing in disapproval as she whispered harshly, "Alfred!" Aiyana sighed, shooting Joseph a rather apologetic look before glancing back to the King. "Honestly, you need a Queen to keep you in line, and I do not mean me. I won't have much of a hold on you as time goes by."

Alfred rolled his eyes, leaning back into his chair, slouching slightly. "Trust me, mother. If I wanted a Queen I would have one by now . I have felt no need to rush. I think I've been doing a fine job with you and Yao at my side, wouldn't you say?" He brought a cup of wine up to his lips, winking before taking a sip.

Queen Aiyana chose not to even acknowledge Alfred's question, turning fully to the foreign ambassador beside her. "Tell me, Lord Elwyn, does the King of Albion have any daughters?"

Alfred's eyes widened, nearly choking on the wine he was in the middle of swallowing. He tried to keep his expression in check, yet the incessant coughing was not helping his case.

Lord Elwyn watched in alarm as the King continued to cough, his eyes darting back and forth from the coughing monarch to the older Queen Mother. "Well, actually no. The King has no daughters, but does have four sons—"

Yao raised his hand as if to cut the man off as politely as possible. "Ah, well then there is no need to continue explaining. I am sure that the sons are needed back at home, aru? I believe the lunch course is about to be served, my lords and lady." He gestured towards the door, trying to change the subject as the servants came out to set down a plate of teriyaki salmon, marinated steak, and a serving of mashed potatoes with a green-onion garnish on top.

The King finally cleared his throat, narrowing his eyes at Yao as he listened to his advisor cut off the man from Albion. He paused for a moment before a sly smile crept onto his face, turning back towards Joseph. "No, Lord Elwyn, please do continue. I'd like to hear about his sons." Alfred was by no means serious, but he could not miss the opportunity to push at Yao's buttons, and _this_ was a major push.

Yao's expression turned from brisk and uninterested to a look of indignation. He saw that smirk cross his monarch's features and knew that he was just doing this to rile him. Yet, as always, he held his tongue.

Sensing the tension between the others in the room, subtle though it may be, Lord Elwyn decided to tread carefully with his description and speech. "Yes, well... You see, there are four in all, as I said. The eldest is Prince Allistor, destined to be the reigning monarch after his father. He is red of hair and has a fiery temper. Rather... loud in his declarations, but very strong and courageous. He's quite unafraid of any fight, you see. With some training, he is sure to be a good, strong future King." The main course now served, Lord Elwyn ate a bite after the description of the first son.

The young King listened intently to Elwyn's description, chuckling a little as he took his first bite of his salmon. "Ah, he sounds a lot like me, minus the whole temper part, of course. But I am sure he is tied up to stay in Albion, what with being the heir of the throne. What about the next son? What's he like?" Alfred hummed in approval as he swallowed his salmon, truly enjoying the taste of the fish.

The Queen Mother looked at her son quizzically. As far as she knew, Alfred only ever had his eyes on women. She could not tell if he was just trying to rile Yao up or if he was actually curious.

Yao was thinking furiously, embarrassed at what the King had done by assuring Lord Elwyn that he should continue with the descriptions, just to upset Yao. The Royal Advisor was thinking along similar lines as the Queen, knowing that Alfred had only ever paid romantic attention to women.

Lord Elwyn finished his bite and then described the next son. "Next would be Prince Arwyn, Your Majesty. He is of strong build, like his elder brother before him, but his hair is that of a dark brown. He is quieter than his elder brother and the next youngest, Prince Aaron. I would not describe him as shy, but rather does not see the need for saying much. Arwyn enjoys folklore and has a particular interest in dragons. And Prince Aaron, as I mentioned before, has far more spirit in him, like the eldest. He's a bit of a trickster. He's slighter than the other brothers before him, but that does not mean he is weak at all. He has more mischief in him and enjoys a good joke."

The King pondered once more, taking a few bites of his mashed potatoes before answering. "Hmm, interesting. I do enjoy a good sense of humor, but quiet and shy would not quite fit within my lifestyle. Such a shame, it seems I am out of luck." Alfred lifted his utensils to begin cutting his steak, not even bothering to look at Yao, knowing that he's got him good.

Yao rolled his eyes, hoping that Aiyana would see it and would step in to stop her son before he continued to embarrass himself, and Yao... at least, in Yao's view.

The man from Albion took another bite as Alfred replied to him, chewing thoughtfully. "Well... come to think of it," he swallowed and continued, "Prince Arthur, the youngest of the four, would be the closest to your age. Just a few years your elder, I would think. He has... Well physically, he has blonde hair, but not quite as golden as yours, Your Majesty. His is more fair, as is his complexion. Not pale, but fair. He has thicker brows, as do all of the royal princes, but the more startling aspect of his features are his eyes. Bright and green as emeralds, I should think! Or perhaps a peridot gem... In any case, he is leaner built than the others. He can be quiet, perhaps a bit shy sometimes, but he is quite the elocutionist. He speaks very well and has a very kind nature—I would think him the kindest of all his brothers, in fact—and very stubborn sometimes, oh dear..." Lord Elwyn starts to ponder that thought, but then brings himself back to the present, shaking his head. "But I am sorry, I assume from your previous assessments, that he, too, does not capture any particular attention...?"

As Lord Elwyn began to describe the fourth and final brother, the carving of Alfred's steak decreased in pace, until both of his utensils came to a halt. His eyes become transfixed onto something as he listens, until finally he looks up at the ambassador when he's finished. "And…this Arthur…he's not a likely prospect for another currently? Tell me, what are some things he enjoys? What does his voice sound like?"

Aiyana's eyes widened in surprise. Never had Alfred shown any interest in any potential suitor, let alone a man. She kept quiet, however, wondering what exactly was going on in the young King's head.

Lord Elwyn looked up quickly in surprise, having had his thoughts return to his meal after assuming the matter decided. Yao nearly dropped his fork, the Advisor was so surprised, not even caring about proper conduct as his head whirled to look at Alfred.

The ambassador thought about the questions for a moment, surprised that the questions seemed so... intimately specific in relation to his prince. "Ah well... I would say that his voice is not quite as low as my own, or as low as the two eldest, and... perhaps more melodic? He has a nice lilt to his words, I would say... Ah, that's right, I suppose I do speak with a different sort of diction and accent than what you are accustomed to, Your Majesty; Prince Arthur has the same sort of accent as I, a more common accent for a royal of Albion. I couldn't explain his voice much better than that, Your Grace... but as for his hobbies, he enjoys reading. My goodness, that man has most likely read the entire royal library thrice by now! He's very educated and enjoys learning, especially history and some fantasy tales. He also enjoys studying magic, Your Highness. As I'm sure you're aware, Albion is quite different from your own lands and has... certain advantages with nature, I would say. Prince Arthur is very in tune to these things, which is why I would describe him as so kind of heart. As for his prospects... no, Arthur has shown no interest in anyone and no arrangements have been made for him."

Something changed within the young King's eyes as he stared deeply at Lord Elwyn. Aiyana noticed immediately, gathering that her son's gaze was far beyond the restraints of the dining hall. It was a look that she had never seen upon her son before. Her heartbeat quickened at the thought as Alfred finally opened his mouth to speak. "I hope you do not think me too forward, Lord Elwyn, but I would like to write to your King and have you deliver the letter personally. Or well, the invitation," Alfred paused for a moment in order to set down his utensils, showing that he indeed was completely serious, "for his son, Prince Arthur, to visit the Spades Kingdom at my request."

Yao could see the change as well in the young King, but it created a different reaction in him. Among many other emotions of irritation, disbelief, and exasperation, there was this intense confusion. Yao had never seen Alfred change quite like that, and surely not at a verbal description of someone he had never met before. It puzzled the Jack of Spades and he intended to figure out the King's thought pattern, albeit at a more private moment. Instead, he would simply stare at the King, trying to judge his expressions.

Lord Elwyn put down his own fork, his expression showing his own surprise, "Oh...? Truly, Your Grace? I'm... I'm sure that the King and the Prince would be delighted to receive your invitation. That is very kind of you. I am positive that Prince Arthur will be delighted to get the chance to visit a new country and expand his knowledge of the world. I believe... that you would like a sense of urgency to be placed upon this errand. When would you prefer for me to leave for Albion again, Your Majesty?"

Alfred smiled graciously, continuing to pay no mind to his food, something that rarely, if ever, happened. "Truly, yes. Thank you, Lord Elwyn." He chuckled a little at Joseph's question, picking up his wine glass once more to wash down his throat. "No no, please stay and rest a while, by all means. I can find patience within me somewhere, I'm sure."

The Queen Mother smiled at her son warmly, placing a hand gently over his, searching his eyes for an answer that may be different to his words. "And are you sure about this, my son? You do realize what a gesture like this implies."

Alfred answered almost immediately, "Yes, I am sure. You told me I needed to find a Queen who could keep me in line and help me to not make a fool of myself. He seems like a perfect candidate, judging from Lord Elwyn's description, and then some." He took a quick breath, glancing at Yao, as if answering some unspoken question that he assumed would be coming to him much later. "And I see no problem with the idea of a male Queen. There have been many in the history of the Four Kingdoms, and even King Ludwig currently has one."

As Lord Elwyn heard the rest of the monarch's conversation, the weight of the importance of his duties started to dawn on him. He would not be carrying a simple letter, not a simple invitation to visit. No, this invitation would be extended to Prince Arthur as a candidate for a match. And not any match, but a match with a King of a very powerful kingdom. He thought for a moment to mention to the young King the differences in culture of Albion, and their take on the concept of male Queens, but the King seemed to have made up his mind about it, so Lord Elwyn remained silent. After all, it was not his place to contradict the King. "Well then, that settles it. I shall be staying for a week, perhaps two. In that time, have the letter written for me, Your Majesty, and I shall deliver it to the King of Albion upon my arrival and before I even set foot in my own home. You have my word on it, sir." He smiled at Alfred, nodding his bow of promise.

Yao's jaw almost dropped when he heard that Alfred—who had always been quite a ladies' man—was thinking of taking a male to be his partner. Not only a man he had never met or heard of until today, but a man to be his Queen! But Alfred's mention of the Hearts Kingdom shut the Jack of Spades up. When Yao saw Alfred forget his meal, he knew that something had changed. A simple fancy or a prank played on his advisor would not cause the great King Alfred to forget his appetite. Something else must have been affecting the king's mind. He thought for a moment to check with the chef and make sure no one had put anything odd into the King's meal.

The remainder of the luncheon became increasingly quieter as the moments went by. The young King seemed to have been transfixed on something as he continued to eat his main course and into the dessert. He put in a few comments here and there, but did not really contribute unless he was spoken to. He would have his mother to thank later, for Aiyana was a natural at keeping a conversation going. Several minutes went by until Alfred was snapped out of his reverie by the mention of his name.

"Yes, I do quite agree, Lord Elwyn. Once you've rested for a good while, King Alfred and I would be delighted to show you the remainder of the palace."

After they said their formal goodbyes to the rather tired man from Albion, the Queen Mother turned to her son with an expression of curiosity, though she felt she could guess what was on his mind. "My my, someone's awfully quiet." If Aiyana were to guess, she would be right.

Alfred gave his mother a smile, confirming her assumptions. "I have a lot of things to think about is all." Alfred did not even avert his sapphire eyes over to her when she questioned him. Instead, he tilted his head up to gaze upon a large, open window from across the dining hall. Inside the panes was an absolutely breathtaking overlook of the port nearest the castle, but more importantly, the sea. Alfred was facing in the very direction that if he swam, his body would end up onto the shores of Albion. Alfred squinted his eyes, focusing on the farthest point where the sky met with the sea, trying to catch a glimpse of it, as impossible as that might be. Instead, he would have to imagine the shoreline, imagine the kingdom, imagine the palace, and most importantly, imagine the young Prince Arthur that had now captured every fiber of his attention .

He had some writing to do.

**A/N: And there is your first look into the Kingdom of Spades! Hope you all enjoyed the Queen Mum as well as the Valiant King Alfred ;) Please favorite, review, and follow if you like! Any and all feedback is appreciated! We hope to have Chapter 3 up very soon!**


	3. Diamonds

**Diamonds**

As the clock tower tolled two, the gardens of the palace had been set for afternoon tea. "Gardens," actually, was an understatement. Located atop the plateau of the Capital city, the lavish greenery stretched for three whole miles until it met with a stone wall, segregating off the large rocky mountain from the palace land with a travel road running between it. The King scanned the horizon from his ornate lawn chair, admiring the fountain, the hedge maze, the orange trees, the flower garden, the canal, and even the walking paths that had the most intricate designs of grass separating the pathways. The whole venue showed off his fortune.

And that was just the outside.

The inside of the _Gemme Royal_, as it's so prestigiously called, was just as impressive if not more. The kingdom of luxury and jewels certainly showed off their reputation of being the richest land in all of the Four Kingdoms, and King Francis certainly did not value modesty as a high quality in character. The King, shaded under a pure white tent, placed a rich napkin of the same color into his lap as his tea was poured for him. A tray of finely prepared tea sandwiches was set in front of him, all varying in meats, vegetables, and spices. 

"Just a splash of cream, s'il vous plaît," The King said, his baritone voice laced in a sophisticated accent that almost no one could resist.

He selected one of the tea sandwiches, ham, brie, and apple, and picked the snack up with his bejeweled hand, taking a dainty bite as he overlooked the group of females out on the open lawn. He eyed each one carefully, surveying their dress, as they swung at balls with each of their croquet mallets.

Francis sighed dramatically, placing a few sugar cubes in his tea before stirring it with a silver teaspoon. He stared into his teacup, watching the swirl move clockwise in the light brown, opaque liquid, "Remind me once more on why the ladies and gentlemen are separated when playing croquet? It seems rather counterintuitive, non?"

Vash Zwingli sat across from the ornately dressed Francis, his studious, watchful eyes directed at his King in front of him. With a flicker, they looked over at the ladies, but quickly turned their attention back to the man who was pointlessly questioning him. "It is tradition," he said simply. Vash was a man of very few words, but those that he did say were never pointless. "It gives you a good chance to observe your future Queen from a more complete, respectable distance." The men looked back to the ladies on the lawn, one individual standing out amongst the others. She was dressed in a beautiful day dress of sunshine yellow with marigold-orange trim that made her stand out from the other young ladies. Hers was not covered in ornate embroidery; but her sweet, innocent smile shone brighter than any gold thread on the other dresses. It was no secret that this girl, Princess Lili, was to be the next Queen of the Kingdom of Diamonds. It was also no secret that her brother was the very man sitting next to the king; the Royal Advisor and Jack of Diamonds himself.

The King sighed once more as he picked up his teacup, extending his pinky before cautiously taking a small sip of the finest tea his Kingdom had to offer. "Oui oui, I am aware, and my future Queen is a lovely sight to behold, but I'd much rather play _with_ her than watch her." Francis would much rather do a lot of things than simply watch. His advisor, although fantastic at his position, was not one to socialize. Oh how he wished his Ace was present. General Antonio was a jovial, exciting man, and always had a story to tell and a smile on his face. Unfortunately for Francis, however, the Ace of Diamonds was overseeing and inspecting the garrisons today.

The King picked up his sandwich once more, swallowing another bite before speaking, "Well, Vash, we should make this time useful. Are there any happenings in my Kingdom that I should be aware of?"

Vash resisted his impulse to snort at the King's ridiculously trivial habits of "elegance," as Francis would have called them. Vash thought them a waste of time, but he was not one to fight the King on such matters. The slightest twitch of the stoic man's mouth would tell the careful observer that Vash was not pleased. His protective, elder brother instincts did not like the way that Francis mentioned "playing with" his little sister. When Francis "played with" women, there tended to be some consequences, and usually, a long list of jobs for Vash to do. But he also knew that his King, although a man of eloquent words, was a man who wanted his words to end in actions. As usual though, Vash held his tongue to ensure he could direct the conversation to a place he preferred, "None beyond what you received in your daily updates, Your Majesty. Whenever you get around to reading them all, you will see everything detailed there. Your people are, overall, very happy with their daily lives. They have food upon the table, warm beds at night, employment... but some fear that you are... taking a very long time to marry." Vash just barely bit his lower lip before ceasing the action, leaning towards Francis to murmur to him, "Some believe that it could be due to... indiscretion, Your Majesty. Or lack of faith in your new Queen on your part. Their faith in the crown is being shaken, and it's not faith in her that is being lost." He raised his eyebrows just barely to insinuate exactly who was losing the subjects' faith, hoping it would concern the King. Francis was usually quite obsessed with his image and public relations, and Vash hoped that this information would hasten his King towards the altar.

The King stiffened in his orange and gold outfit, averting his eyes back over to the women playing croquet in front of him. What has it been now, four years? Five years? He could not even remember when the engagement was set, yet Vash had a knack for bringing it up time after time again, "Ah, yes, _that_." Francis held his hand up in the sunlight, watching the light catch and bounce off of the various jewels that adorned his fingers, "Vash, you very well know of the reasoning behind my delay, and last time we conversed, I gave you the same answer. Your sister, unless you have recent news for me, has not bled yet. It would be indecent of me to marry a girl who is not yet a woman." In fact, in Francis's mind, it would be indecent to marry her at all. She was so much younger than him, but the age difference didn't cause his disinterest in her. Lili was a pretty girl, yes, but was shy, innocent, and lacked feistiness and originality; all of these characteristics were something Francis was not. As the eldest King of the Four Kingdoms, his advisor, court, and people were all anxious for him to marry and have an heir. These pressures caused him to hastily jump into an engagement, and who better than his Royal Advisor's younger sister.

But he could not back out now, that would be indecent of him, especially when he did not have another potential suitor. No, the best he could do was delay, just as he had been for these past years that he could not define a time frame for. The King sat up in his chair, signaling he was serious, and more importantly, changing the topic, "But onto more pressing matters, what news of the other Kingdoms? Anything exciting? You know I am one for gossip, mon ami."

The Royal Advisor prickled at the thought of his King dismissing making the most sacred of marriage vows to Vash's own beloved sister as "that." He wanted, in that moment, to shoot every jewel that the King was admiring on his hand off of it so that the flamboyant, flippant man in front of him would understand the seriousness of the conversation. But as usual, Vash held back, his trigger finger curled around the handle of a teacup instead of being curled around something more lethal. He sipped his own tea, listening to Francis's excuses. Once again, Francis was procrastinating, but Vash would see to it that he would have his sister as his Queen. After all, he agreed to the engagement and will not back out of it after all of these years, that was certain. His dear sister will not be shamed.

Vash held back a sigh at Francis's change, yet again, to another subject. He attempted to recall information that might pique the King's interest. "I have not heard news from the Kingdom of Clubs in quite some time. After a year or more ago, they seemed to have closed off much of their contact with other Kingdoms, except for trade. The Kingdom of Hearts is building up their economy once more, but I have not heard of any other news that would interest you, Your Majesty... Not from the Kingdom of Hearts," Vash muses, going in order of the Kingdoms. Vash was never one for gossip but was more interested in political relations and the information that went along with it; he was not as interested in what royal was sleeping with whom and who found out. The drama bored him, but he knew his King was fascinated by it all.

King Francis perused his sandwich plate once more, not even aware of Vash's utter outrage just a chair over from him. He listened to his advisor's words idly, finally setting his eyes on a cucumber-butter sandwich that suited his fancy. "Ah yes, the Hearts Kingdom. Poor Ludwig still is rebuilding from his brother's carelessness." The King grimaced. He did not like describing Gilbert with such a negative quality. Gilbert was a dear friend of his after all, no matter what the circumstance. "Such a shame. I do hope Gilbert is alive and well somewhere, and not the grave alternative. His disappearance still baffles me, but I have almost given up on the mystery being solved."

Upon mentioning the exiled, former King, Vash could tell that Francis was still rather conflicted about the matter. He had known the man to be very fond of the former King of Hearts, Gilbert.

Francis's mind continued to stay upon his white-haired friend and ally. It was so unlike Gilbert to just up and leave, at least, the Gilbert that Francis knew. He prayed no ill will fell upon him. "Yet Ludwig might run the same course if he is not careful about his tax increases," Francis concluded, transitioning to the next King on the agenda. "And King Ivan, I haven't seen him since his wedding. I do not understand his isolation. How is that pleasurable? To be holed up in his icy castle, I mean. I wonder if his new Queen has gotten frostbite yet." He chuckles at the joke, taking a sip of tea.

Vash listened to Francis's babbling about the different Kingdoms, momentarily wondering why Francis would even ask Vash for gossip when Francis seemed to be up to date already. Vash took the opportunity to take a small sandwich for himself, chewing it carefully while the King spoke. He made a small hum of approval, sandwiches being something that Vash truly enjoyed.

The Shining King continued with a small sneer in his voice, "I don't see why he has a distrust for me though, I have never done anything to get on his bad side. It's the Spades he should solely have his issues with." The King picked up his napkin to dab at his mouth, placing his teacup down into the saucer once again. The hostility in his voice faded as he made his way to the final King on the list, "Speaking of which, any news of the Spades Kingdom and their Young King Alfred?"

Once Vash was done chewing, he allowed his attention to be brought back to his King, hearing a new name to the conversation being mentioned. "King Alfred of the Spades Kingdom?" Vash thought for a moment, dabbing his face with his own napkin. He was graceful, not quite as dainty or particular as the King had been. "Actually, yes," he replied after a moment, trying to remember the particulars of what he had been told, "It seems that the young King is finally doing his nation... and himself... a great service. He is going to be made very, very happy in the next upcoming months." Vash looked into Francis's eyes, curious to see how King Francis would react to such information, and not-so-subtle implications. He made the gossip-addicted King wait a moment before finally revealing the news. "It seems that the Young King Alfred is finally taking a Queen."

Francis's ears perked up, not expecting for Vash to actually have new information on the newly crowned Spades King. As Vash continued speaking, however, Francis knew right where this was going—back to the topic he had to fight to avoid. Although he was secretly intrigued, Francis did not let on. Instead, he picked up his teacup once again, his pinky out as he sniffed its contents. "'Finally'? Vash, you act as if the poor boy is an old man. But humor me, who is it? No wait, let me guess." He pauses to think, taking another sip of his cream and sugar-filled tea. "Is it one of Yao's nieces? Lady Mei or Lady Lien?"

Vash smirked as Francis started to take guesses on who the new Queen will be. Each time that Francis made some sort of guess, Vash shook his head. He sipped his own tea, biding his time. For some reason, Vash enjoyed having the upper hand over the King on information, and he wasn't ready to give in so easily. He especially wouldn't, considering King Francis's dismissive treatment toward his beloved sister. No, Vash would make Francis have to work for the information. "No, Your Majesty. I'm afraid it is neither of those ladies of the court. As fair as they are, neither Lady Mei nor Lady Lien are to be the new Queen. Truth be told, none of the ladies of King Alfred's court will be his new Queen," Vash paused, sipping his tea once again. He couldn't help but watch King Francis growing anxious, the usually poised King letting his impatience show. Finally, Vash decided to finish his small speech. "To be true... King Alfred has not chosen a _lady_... to be his Queen." Vash emphasized the word "lady," wondering how Francis will take such information.

"None of the ladies…" Francis repeated Vash's words quietly to himself. Who on earth could it be? Surely no lady from the Clubs Kingdom, and he would've received word if it was a lady of his royal court. Suddenly, the King's eyes widened. His mind finally caught up to Vash's words as he slowly turned his head to look over at his advisor, giving him his full attention for the first time that afternoon. "What do you mean, 'not chosen a lady'? Are you telling me Alfred has chosen a man to be his Queen?" Francis sat there baffled. He did not think of Alfred as one to be attracted to men, judging from past history at least. "I can't think of a single eligible man in his court for him to even wed."

Vash could not help but quietly smirk to himself as he gained his King's complete attention. It was very difficult to do; Francis's attention span being selective and more fleeting than the wing speed of a hummingbird. But Vash was not one to show much outward emotion. Quickly, his expression reverted back to that of the stoic advisor he always was, his mouth nearly closed while he spoke in such a measured tone. "It seems that the Young King has not chosen even a man from his own court. He has chosen a Prince from a far-off land, the Kingdom of Albion." Vash lifted his tea to drink an additional time. He was usually not one for the delicacies of tea, but withholding information from the King, giving it so slowly, and retaining his complete attention was too good of a reward for the frustrated advisor to pass up.

Francis's eyebrows rose in complete surprise. If he didn't know better he would think we was dreaming. How could Alfred possibly have arranged such a thing? Were suitors from his own continent not good enough for him? Francis thought upon these questions a moment, always speculating another King or royal would try to look better than him, something he would not allow to happen. To shield this insecurity, the King let out a hearty, over-the-top laugh, covering his mouth out of etiquette, "That is absolutely to die for! I guess he couldn't find a man or woman to give him a second glance, so instead he opted for someone who has never even seen him before!" He laughed again at his joke, tucking some of his golden locks back behind his ear.

Vash watched Francis attempting to process the information that was just given to him. It was highly amusing to him, like watching Francis sort through the hardest of riddles he had ever been given. He couldn't help but be surprised as he heard the King start laughing, internally amused at how over-the-top the King's laugh sounded. He was even further amused at how the childish King thought it best to cover up his insecurities by making fun of the Young King, even when King Alfred had done nothing to encourage such words. Vash knew what the King of Spades looked like, and he knew he was an attractive sort of man. He most likely had thousands of waiting suitors, and yet Francis did this to talk himself up.

"I don't see what he could possibly gain from it. What have we ever traded or received from Albion? Tea, maybe?" He drummed against the side of his teacup for emphasis, looking down into the creamy liquid. His laughter slowly came to a halt as he stared at the fluid, for as the gears in his head started to turn, so did the liquid. His imagination transformed the brown, opaque fluid into a more leathery, solid texture, and soon the brew was no longer tea, but the scales of-

"Dragons."

The King whispered under his breath, so inaudible that his own advisor could not hear him. That had to be what the Spades King was after; why else would he waste his time on some Prince he's never even heard of? Francis was no idiot, but he did not allow others to see his true intelligence. Dragons did not exist in the Four Kingdoms, and to this day Albion has never been ruled or invaded by another country because they had what was considered the greatest weapon in the world. This rare commodity was the very reason why the Albions do not allow their dragons to be sold to anyone outside of Albion. But if Alfred was married to one of Albion's royals…

"Vash, walk with me."

And suddenly the King stood up, placing his napkin onto the table. He clapped twice, and as if casting a magic spell, an array of servants appeared. Four came to shield both him and Vash with large parasols, protecting the King's fair skin from the sun. Another set of four servants carried a large, velvet red carpet. They set it down in front of the King and onto the garden walkway, starting to unroll it so that the Diamond King and his Royal Advisor may walk upon it without fear of dirtying their shoes.

Vash observed the King's expression change and develop, glimpses of his true intelligence showing before they were gone once again behind his facade. As Vash was told to walk with him, he nodded. He stood from the table, pushing in his chair and leaving his napkin behind. He started to walk alongside the King, curious as to why the royal wished to get away from the area. "Yes, so you see, Your Majesty, if you are to not be one-upped by the upcoming wedding of the Spades Kingdom, I think that you should hasten your own plans..."

Francis scuffed his shoe against the carpet as he walked in an attempt to mask his agitation at Vash's persistence. He instead, however, chose to ignore the Jack of Diamond's comment, his blue eyes looking out beyond the carpet bearers in front of him. "Upcoming wedding, you say? Tell me, Vash. Has this foreign Prince even agreed to such an engagement? You act as if this has been set in stone." Now this was Francis's opportunity, and he better take it before he loses his chance. He spoke up quickly, grasping his hands behind his back as he strode through the garden, "Speaking of which, what is this Prince's name? What's his appeal?"

Vash blinked, surprised to see that the King of Diamonds was taking such an interest into others' affairs. Given, the King was rather prone and addicted to gossip, but this seemed to be a more invested argument. Otherwise, the King would not be nitpicking at whether the arrangement was "set in stone." Vash decided to tread very carefully with his answers. "The Prince's name is Prince Arthur of Albion. He is the fourth youngest of all of the sons of the King of Albion. Apparently, the Young King of Spades was given a report by the Ambassador of Albion. Upon being asked by the King about each of the Princes from the land, the Ambassador gave an honest description of each, including their personality, more or less. Upon describing the fourth son, King Alfred seemed rather interested and asked for an invitation to be sent out to him. They're rather similar in age, you see, and his personality will compliment Alfred's excellently."

The King practically gobbled up the information, yet remained as passive as possible. He chuckled lightly as a bright smile appeared on his face, a feature of his that made him incredibly handsome. "Prince Arthur, you say? Well, surely he must be something if the Young King Alfred took an interest to him. That's all you know about him? Surely the Spades King boasted about his potential new Queen to at least one of our ambassadors." Francis was a persistent man, and he was not going to give up until he got the information he wanted.

Vash was careful about what he wanted to reply. Not only was he a man of few words, but the King before him was taking far too much of an interest in the Young King Alfred's affairs to make Vash comfortable. Especially given that Francis was supposed to marry his sister, Vash didn't want anything to get into the way of that. "I know very little. They have not said much about the Prince, except for how excited the Young King is. I know that they explained that the Prince is very kind, yet also very stubborn. And they mentioned his eyes, but that is all that I know about him, Your Majesty." Vash continued to walk about the garden with the King, a step behind him the entire time.

The King unclasped his hands in order to eye his rings once more. He pursed his lips, pondering Vash's words. Oh how he wanted those dragons. Time and time again he tried to negotiate with Albion, even going so far as to offering them a sum probably bigger than what the Crown had to its name, but the answer was always no. Marrying one of the King of Albion's sons would change that.

Alfred was no dummy, Francis thought. Surely he picked the best one of the lot, and Francis deserved only the best. He would get those dragons even if it was the last thing he did, and Francis knew just how to do that. He halted suddenly, causing the servants to stumble, bumbling the parasols above their heads. "Well, I would like to arrange an engagement gift to give to the happy couple. I think it would promote good relations; don't you think so, Vash? In fact, better yet, I should give it to them myself! Not to mention the last time I visited the Spades Kingdom was so gloomy, what with King Duncan's burial." Francis nodded, adjusting the large crown on his head. "Yes, I've made up my mind! I shall visit in a few weeks time!" He clapped in excitement, continuing to shield his true intentions. Moments later, he brought the back of his palm to his forehead, letting out a small sigh. "Oh mon dieu, I do think the heat is getting to me. I'll go inside for my afternoon nap. Please make sure no one interrupts me." And with that, Francis turned on his white-heeled boots, striding back to the inside of the palace. He glanced over to the women once more, giving a small smile and blowing a kiss to his current fiancé. "Current" being the keyword, for in the Diamond King's mind, he would be getting a new one within a fortnight.

Vash's eyebrows rose with intrigue at Francis's mention of giving the future, happy couple a gift. He nodded to agree with Francis, knowing that it would promote good relations... but at the same time, Vash couldn't help but feel concerned. That concern grew as Francis announced his wish to visit the Spades Kingdom. But before Vash could say anything to deter the King from wanting to go, Francis declared that it was time for his afternoon nap. Vash had no other alternative than to nod to the King, bowing as the King left Vash to stand out on the garden grounds. "Of course, Your Majesty..." Vash waited to straighten until Francis was inside, but as he rose, a very serious, intense expression donned his face. He stared after the King, eyes locked on the same spot as thoughts swarmed his head. He can blow his kisses all he wants. He can flirt and attempt to get what he wants just to frustrate the Jack of Diamonds, but Vash made a promise to himself on that sunny afternoon—to King Francis, to himself, but most importantly, to the most important person to him in the world—Lili. His sister will marry King Francis, and he would do anything, sacrifice anything, to ensure that happens.

_You will marry her... or else... the results will not be in your favor. And no degree of pampering and primping will ever save you._


End file.
